'Street Fighter' Isn't the K.O. Reboot Fans Hoped For | Review

Published Oct 15, 2026, 12:00 PM EDT

In addition to being a die-hard fan of filmmaking, television, video gaming, and anything else with a gripping narrative, Aidan Kelley is also a passionate and detail-oriented writer and journalist at Collider.com. In addition to his work as a Senior Resource Writer, Aidan has also contributed to Collider’s features and news reporting sections. He has covered major industry events, such as San Diego Comic-Con and the D23 Expo, and has had the privelege of interviewing industry stars like Bruce Campbell, Maggie Q, Chad Stahelski, and more. This sincere love for the art of storytelling began at a young age, with Aidan making video movie reviews for the news program at his local high school. That love only increased over the years, with an ongoing career in independent filmmaking and screenwriting after graduating with a degree in Film and television from DePaul University.

Ever since Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo’s Super Mario Bros., the very first video game-to-film adaptation, the genre has had a bad reputation — a reputation it has maintained even in the face of great artistic strides forward like The Last of Us, Fallout, and the ***Sonic the Hedgehog ***franchise. But in retrospect, maybe not all of the early ’90s, just-finding-their-footing gaming franchises were as bad as we remember. The original Mortal Kombat is certainly one that has stood the test of time, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a soft spot for a little 1994 movie called Street Fighter. Is it a good movie? Heavens, no. But gosh darn it, it’s a lot of fun, and almost everything that comes out of the mouth of Raul Julia’s M. Bison is ingrained in my brain like Blanka’s “educational software.”

That said, as fun as the 1994 movie is, it’s still not a great adaptation of what is one of the most recognizable brands in all of gaming. Whether in its original arcade forms or its modern-day takes on consoles, Street Fighter is one of the most beloved and ubiquitous gaming IPs around, with no shortage of potential for film and television adaptations (including the admittedly much-better Street Fighter II animated film). Now, a new take on Street Fighter has arrived as the franchise’s most ambitious live-action attempt yet. But is it the truly exceptional adaptation fans have been waiting for? Well, if you’re a fan of the 1994 movie, then it scratches that very particular itch. But if you’re not, well …

Taking place in a fictionalized, neon-soaked version of the 1990s, Street Fighter primarily focuses on two lifelong companions who have been ripped apart by a great tragedy. In one corner, we have Ken (Noah Centineo), a hot-headed playboy who would rather spend his days drinking and partying than actually fighting. In the other, we have Ryu (Andrew Koji), a retired warrior desperate to find inner peace while concealing a dark power growing within him. Against their wishes, the two are forcefully reunited when the maniacal Lord M. Bison (David Dastmalchian) holds a tournament that brings together the world’s greatest fighters.

Let’s cut right to the chase: Street Fighter’s story is a complete and total mess. It starts out simply enough, but soon gets bogged down by a surprising amount of pointless exposition, awkward scene transitions, and above all else, a lot of very bizarre editing choices. Choices that lead to large portions of the aforementioned fighting tournament occurring off-screen — a baffling decision for a movie that literally has “fight” in the name! Instead of getting to see your favorite characters go toe-to-toe in the arena, the film often chooses to have its core character chit-chat instead. That’s a real shame, considering that action is Street Fighter’s biggest strength by a mile.

The characters themselves are also a bit hit-and-miss. On one hand, Andrew Koji is flawlessly cast as Ryu. Not only does Koji have the martial arts chops to play the franchise’s most popular character, but Ryu also has the most interesting character journey and arc by far. His two co-protagonists, Ken and Chun-Li (Callina Liang), don’t fare quite as well, however. Ken’s journey never really feels as satisfying as the movie wants you to think it is, and Chun-Li’s motivation is an even more bare-bones version of the 1994 film character’s, with the awkward addition of some weirdly sexualized jokes that do not land at all. The supporting cast of characters is also something of a mixed bag. Some, like Zangief (Oliver Richters) and Balrog (Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson) come and go without much fanfare, while others, like Guile (Cody Rhodes) and Blanka (Jason Momoa), are true scene-stealers and an absolute blast.

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